Sleight of Hand
by Somethingalltogether
Summary: Set in Season 2: Hook had no idea how devious his little Swan could be or how his heart longed to bask in a woman's loving care. Emma was clueless on how she allowed him past all her defenses, but there he was draped in leather and looking like a hot mess.


AN: Unbeta'd and first OUAT fanfic. I've been trying to get back to a happier time since season 5 started. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

* * *

"So tell me, Emma. What was he like?" an unfamiliar woman's husky voice floated through the open window.

Hook crouched lower and leaned closer to hear the Swan's response.

"Honestly, I don't rightfully know. When I first saw him, I knew he was a man of honor, but the moment he opened his mouth, it was all lies," Swan said with exasperation. Hook could almost taste her displeasure from his perch on the metal stairwell that spanned the building Swan resided in.

"How did you know he was a man of honor?" the husky voice asked. Hook started to build a mental picture of her as someone resembling Milah; long dark hair and bedroom eyes to lead a man to sin.

"Most of the time I hear truth. With him, I saw it," Swan said with a breathless whisper that gave him an insight to a rather delicate woman under the steel exterior. Hook closed his eyes against an image of her splayed out against cool silk sheets whispering soft nothings into his ear. His thoughts had not taken this turn since she had left him high and dry, but just her voice losing its rough edge had him going back on his promise he had made after her abandonment. His imaging was harshly pushed from his forethought as she continued. "It was just like with Henry's father and you know how that turned out, Ruby. It doesn't matter now. He is stuck in fairytale hell and I doubt a pirate would be interested in more than a wham bam thank you ma'am."

A shiver went through Hook's shoulders in realization of just who the women were discussing.

"Wait, is this the guy you left on top a beanstalk?"

"For fuck's sake, who has been buzzing in your ears? I just got back yesterday!" Swan exclaimed.

"You know how people talk especially at the diner. So spill! Was he attractive?"

Hook could almost feel Emma bristle at this Ruby's teasing. A clink of dishes was loud and clear as a telltale sign of her displeasure.

"Attractive is an understatement, but his personality overshadowed everything. I've never met a creep in my life that could spew so many sexual innuendos and after spending years as a bounty hunter, I thought I had heard it all."

Hook perked up at Emma's admission that brought so much more comprehension into the complicated woman's life. The tough lass that had bested him was not just a princess hardened by the land without magic; she was a woman who thrived on confrontation and the thrill of the hunt. He rubbed his jaw remembering her powerful upper cut that forced him out of consciousness at the dry lake bed. The damnable woman kept his attentions far too well for his liking.

"So he is hot, a villain, and a man of honor? Sounds like you enjoy the bad boys with hearts of gold."

"Funny you should say that about a freaking pirate," Emma scoffed causing Hook's lips to upturn slightly. He pressed his ear closer to the wall with the open window to make sure he didn't miss one word about him that fell from her lips. "Well, what woman doesn't enjoy something a little dangerous? But no, I've sworn off bad boys unless it is just for one night. I don't want to be thrown in jail for someone else's crime only to give birth and forced to adopt out. That didn't end well last time."

His mouth popping open in surprise, Hook stared blankly into the night stunned to everything except the depths of the betrayal that Swan had endured.

"I'm sorry what they did to you. I know you had more options than what they presented to you in jail for dealing with Henry."

Emma sighed heavily. From his crouched position, Hook looked up at the window hoping to get a glimpse of the melancholy that he knew to be gracing her face. Only the shadow of her profile through the lace curtains was seen though the slump of her shoulders told Hook far more than her voice. Her burdens were far from over.

"They didn't even let me hold him," Emma gave a soft sob. "It was either give him up to family until I was released or give him up for adoption. Regina's curse took the only family I never knew I had so that was a no go. Even though things have kind of worked out, it still burns me deep inside that this is all wrong. The hurt never really goes away."

Pain lanced through Hook's dark heart. Her betrayal at the beanstalk and desperation at the Dark One's cell flashed through his mind at the obvious pain in her voice. She was fighting to keep the one thing that was stolen from him: a family. The furious vengeance Hook had planned for the lovely Swan faded away as his understanding of the scars that had mangled her heart became clear to him. The unwavering loyalty the rebel princess held for her kin was something that was mirrored in his own heart. To harm her would be to harm himself. A small spark of warmth that he hadn't felt for the past three hundred years burnt like a small ember in the cesspool of darkness that shrouded his soul. The initial attraction he had felt to bed the blonde was given a new breath of life.

Milah's adventurous spirit had reflected his own during the years together; his tortured soul stared back at him from behind sea green eyes in the face of a blonde goddess with the fiercest glare to ever grace a woman's face. The bleak future that loomed over Hook after his eventual victory over the Dark One was beginning to form into something with a little less loneliness and a little more light for him to covet. A small part of him that was still an honorable man baulked at the idea of taking such a pure creature for his own selfish desires, but the pirate won over any qualms with the promise of soft flesh and glorious blonde hair strewed over silk as he lost himself between the milky white thighs of the Savior. Emma Swan would still be the Savior, but she would be only his and his most coveted treasure.

"Maybe if you had someone to help shoulder your burdens, that would lessen," the woman that Emma referred to as Ruby replied gently.

Emma gave an affronted snort. "And where am I going to find someone? The only someones in this town are all fairytale characters! I don't need a hero. I can save myself thank you."

"Hmmm. Maybe, or maybe not. You do well with taking care of yourself in many ways except where it comes to your heart. You need someone to ease that duty."

"You are talking about love. To love someone you need to trust them and I'm all out of that."

Hook swallowed a small laugh. Her walls were high, but not unsurpassable. He did love a challenge. Hook shifted he weight slightly as he pondered methods for scaling her fortress.

"If the right man came along, I know you'd fight it for a good while but I'm sure if he was worthy he would fight for you. Even against yourself."

"A man of honor? Like Hook? Fat chance," Emma giggled to Hook's delight. Such a carefree sound should be repeated often from such a lovely lass.

"Look, just keep your eyes open. You never know who will come out of the wood work. Anyhow, let's get these burgers cooked. Didn't you say you wanted to use the grill instead of the oven tonight?"

"Yeah, it's on the fire escape."

Hook quickly took his leave having heard her voice grow louder with each step she took towards the door only a few feet from his perch. Dropping to the sidewalk and rounding the corner to hide in the shadows, Hook peaked around the corner and looked up to see the object of his fascination opening the door and stepping on to the metal grated walkway of the fire escape. The tight pants she wore were just as he remembered from the Enchanted Forest; the blue material hugged her thighs in sinful temptation giving him more reasons to hurry his plans for revenge against the Dark One if only to return to more pleasurable musings of stripping Emma bare beneath him.

If possible, her hair was even more glorious than before with curly golden stands dancing in the light breeze. It would be a sheer pleasure to watch that hair float around her face on a salty breeze as he steered the Jolly Roger towards their next adventure. He could almost taste the satisfaction in his mouth from obtaining her as his companion. It seemed history had a way of repeating itself, but this time Hook would not make the same mistake. He'd take her boy with them and cleave all loose ties before he set sail on their new home.

Emma disappeared back through the door after lighting a small fire in a strange black pit leaving Hook's sight for the warmth of her home. He melded deeper into the shadows; his mind turning over potential plans to acquire the greatest treasure of all. Emma Swan.

* * *

"So do you think he heard everything?" Emma asked as she entered back into the loft.

Ruby gave a wolfish grin. "Oh yeah. That poor man will be up in knots over you. I didn't know you were going to get so personal though. I think you told me things not even Snow knows."

Smiling a little to herself, Emma ran a hand through her hair. "Hook desperately wanted me to open up while we were climbing the beanstalk. I knew then that he felt the spark between us, but he had just lied to me so I couldn't open up to him. With giving him a little taste of me, I'll drawn him further towards me and away from Gold. Easy as pie."

"And people say the Dark One is the most devious of all."

"Ha! If only he was a woman, then I might have a challenger!"

Ruby snorted and handed Emma a plate full of uncooked burgers. Emma just grinned.


End file.
